The indie development team over at Twisted Ramble Games is looking to take on the heavy mental-health-based topic of depression with their upcoming mole rat featuring game Duru. In fact, the full name of the game is Duru - About Mole Rates and Depression, which really just hits the nail on the head without subtlety.
Tuli, a mole rat entrenched in colony life in the South African plains, serves as a gatherer responsible for securing the food and resources her community needs to survive. Her fulfillment comes from seeing friends and family thrive due to her hard work, made even harder by a mysterious black creature following her every move and making even the most straightforward task feel impossible.
Players will be guiding Tuli on a journey through her colony’s tunnels with Bel, her dark shadow always in tow. Careful though, Bel often works against Tuli by moving objects, eating items, and manipulating the gatherer in unpredictable ways. Draw objects and items, painting them into beautifully illustrated and animated locations. Learn to balance Bel’s destructive behaviors in a positive way to solve puzzles and progress through the colony. Rebel against the insecurities and depression hanging over Tuli on a heartfelt adventure presented in a wordless format that speaks to everyone, regardless of language.
Duru is set to launch on May 5th for PC via Steam. They are planning to bring the game to the Nintendo Switch in the future, following the initial release.